The Red Bus

Feels like I have been standing here for ages

Looking up the road for the red blob with the light on its forehead

It should be here by now, shouldn’t it?

I have better things to do than sit and wait, I think

In reality I don’t, I am here because I have to be

Maybe I missed it, maybe I should have come here five minutes earlier

Now I have to come back after two hours

After all it’s the holidays

Before the depression sets in I catch a glint of red in the corner of me eye

Here it comes, the bus, and I am buzzing

Can you get here faster, I have been waiting for ages

Oh my goodness! How are there so many people trying to get to campus

Can’t you guys get a cab or something?

I squeeze myself in past people who have no intention of moving aside

Work my way to the unoccupied part of the bus and sit on the step at the back

After all there are no seats and I’m not particular

The guys behind me laugh, seems sitting on the step is not common

I don’t mind, I’m not particular

There is a girl further up sneaking glances at me sitting there

Must be shocked I’m sitting on a step

Or maybe it’s the Afro, I do have a pretty good afro

And would you talk to the person next to you!

There is always that one guy in the bus who is pointlessly loud

Dude your story is private, I don’t want to know why your female is leaving you

Looks like a seat to my left is freeing up

The girl who was stealing the glances looks like she wants to snatch the seat before me

I let her take it, I’m not particular

Two stops down the seat next to her frees up, this will be awkward

I take the window seat and pretend my earphones are sending music to my ears

My phone battery died a while back but I don’t mind, I’m not particular

I put my right foot on the seat and look out the window

Looks like winter is almost over, the green is returning

I see a sea of green with an overlay of small yellow flowers

I’ve always liked the site of the green and yellow

It’s like a sea of nature, which waves as the wind blows

Wave upon wave upon wave of green and yellow, I barely even notice the buildings in the backdrop

I’m lost in the moment fascinated by the sight then the guy who can’t whisper takes it up a notch

I clench my fists and grit my teeth, five minutes to campus

I look around, there is that one guy who always get seconds in the cafeteria

And the girl who is never away from her boyfriend

I wonder where her boyfriend is, I can’t see him

To be honest I don’t care, I’m not particular. Second last stop before campus

The bus is a lot less packed, one or two people left standing

I can see the relief on the bus driver’s face, his shift must be ending

There is some level of silence, turns out loud guy got out

I smile

The bus reaches campus and people stand to get to the door before the bus stops

No idea why they do that

I drum my fingers on my right leg dreading the two minute walk to my room and the flight of stairs

People begin to file out, I just sit there

A few glances at me from people, I see no reason to rush for the door

Last person files out and I get up to walk out

I nod in the direction of the driver as a courtesy, he ignores me

I don’t mind, I’m not particular